Baling press



May 17, 1949. ES T A 2,470,278

BALING PRESS Filed Dec. 6, 1946 ATTORNEYS EB. HILL 8 Patented May 17,1949 ii.

BALIN G PRES S James Rex West, George B. Hill, and Marcus E. McClellan,Ottumwa, Iowa, assignors to Deere Manufacturing 00., a corporation ofIowa Application December 6, 1946, Serial No. 714,360

7 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to baling presses and moreparticularly to the compression mechanism at the discharge end of thebale case of a baling press, and is in the nature of an improvement overthe mechanism disclosed in the co-pending application, Serial No.614,395, filed September 4, 1945, by George B. Hill, one of theco-inventors of the present invention. This application was issued onJanuary 11, 1949, as Patent Number 2,458,994.

Certain crops, such as, for example, prairie hay, are so slippery that,when formed into bales, do not ofier suflicient frictional resistance tothe baling wire or twine to retain the latter in place around the bales,with the result that the wires or twine strands have a tendency to sliplaterally off the bales and thus lose the contents thereof.

'It is, therefore, one of the principal objects of the present inventionto provide means for overcoming this difficulty.

In the accomplishment of this object, we have found that by compressingthe central portion of each bale to a greater extent than the cornersthereof, this tendency is, to a considerable,

. the bales, for the bales are held in tightly compressed condition bythe walls of the bale case. Some difficulty has been encountered becauseof .the loose wires slipping out of place while the bales are still inthe compression portion of the bale case, and therefore it is anotherobject of the present invention to provide guide means for holding thewires in proper positions on the bales until the latter are dischargedfrom the bale case, after which the bales expand sufficiently to tightenthe wires and hold them against slipping. This art after a considerationof the following description, in which reference is had to the drawingsappended hereto, in which Figure l is a perspective view of thecompression portion of a bale case embodying the principles of thepresent invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the discharge end of the bale caseincluding the compression portion;

Figure 3 is a sectional elevational view taken along the line 33 inFigure 2; and

Figure 4 is an end elevational view of the compression portion of thebale case, taken substantially along the line 44 in Figure 2, and drawnto a slightly smaller scale.

Referring now to the drawings, the main portion of the bale case isindicated by reference numeral 5 and comprises a pair of verticallyspaced top and bottom walls 6, 'l and a pair of laterally spaced sidewalls 8, 9, the four walls defining a tubular bale case of rectangularcross section. A peripheral box frame l0 encircles the bale case 5 nearthe end thereof, to reenforce the case to prevent spreading of the wallsthereof.

Both the top and bottom walls 6, l are formed object is accomplished byproviding guide chan-.

' through the discharge end of the case.

These and other objects and advantages of our invention will be apparentto'those skilled in the with a pair of laterally spaced longitudinallyextending channels ll, i2, which open inwardly of the case and throughwhich the baling wires travel as the bales move toward the discharge endof the case, after they have been tied.

The outer end of the bale case 5 is provided with a compression portion,indicated in its entirety by reference numeral l5, and comprises a pairof laterally spaced vertical side walls I6, [1, which are disposedsubstantially in the plane of the side walls 0 and 9 of the main balecase 5. respectively, and serve as extensions thereof. The side walls I6and I1 have horizontal flanges l8, l9 turned inwardly toward each otheralong the top and bottom edges of the two side walls and substantiallyin the planes of the top and bottom walls 6, I, respectively. A pair ofvertical flanges 20 are turned upwardly and downwardly, respectively,from the inner edges of the horizontal flanges l8 of the wall portioni6, and another pair of vertical flanges 2! are similarly provided atthe inner edges of the flanges [9 on the wall I1. Each of the side wallsl6 and i1 is pivotally connected to the end of the bale case 5 by meansof pivot bolts 22 disposed on vertical axes through,

upper and lower hinge plates 23, fixedly secured, as by welding, to thehorizontal flange portions |8, |9.

Each of the side walls l6, H is provided with a structural brace 25, ofbox construction extending vertically along the outer side of theassociated wall and inwardly along the outer side of the associatedhorizontal flanges |8, |9. These braces 25 hold the side walls l6, l1against outward bowing, and also brace the horizontal flanges to holdthem substantially perpendicular to the vertical walls.

The vertical wallsl6," amt-urged toward each other by meansor heavylieliaL compression springs 26, 21, which bear against the verticalbrace 25 on one of the walls I6 and act through? a washer 28 against anut 29 engaging a threaded tension rod 30. The two tension rods 30extend coaxially through the useum-1.1; respectively; and liehorizontally above an'd below the com -.pression portion I and passthroughi suitable:

apertures in the brace against which the springs 26, 21 bear. Theopposite ends oftlie ten sion rods are provided with eyes 3|, whichxare;secured by bolts 32 to the vertical brace member fi ontheoppositew-a1-ll|-|-. v The nuts 29 are provided with: handles 34, by; means ofwhich the nuts can be adjusted axially of the threaded rods 30 th adjustthezamount of compression force in the springs'ifii 2 f, vand-thusradjusting. the amount of force applied torurgewther two walls I6,I"! towardieaoh other.

The two bracing-members 25-a-re interconnected above and below thecompression portion l5 of ttie bale" case '5zby*channelf-members 35,3.6}, which have their open" ends facing outwardly} and throughwhichthetensionl rods 30 extend. The channel members+35; 36-each havetheir two ends inserted into the associatedend: of the: bracing members25, the latterhaving' retaining ears 3] the form of. flanges which! areturnedover the 115; gesof-the"chanhels 35;r3l6z The channels are thusslidable relative to i the braces 25 to accom- 'mcdatelateral-movementroflthe walls 16;, n

The" compression device l5 also includes apair with longitudinallyextending channels; d3

rcrmee integrally therewith; with the. channels opening inwardly or thebalecase extension 15 and tapering outwardly-sdthat therlaterallyopposite sides "of thewalls w; M converge outwardly "tn allow a limitedam'ount of inwards movement of the side walls l8; under pressure or; the"springs 26; 2-1; The? top an'd bottomfiwallsw 40,1

; are-pivotally' connected to the end of the main balecaseE bymeanssofftransverselw aligned'pivot. 60: In 62m my} vertimv, aces; andaipmr of up bolts 36-; which are supported in: theinner M thus providingfor vertical: swinging moveii'ieht of the latter abouttra-nsverse-axesqEach of the wallsi lfl; 4|:isadjmtablevertically to increase or decreasethe pressure thereof.

against the central porjtioneot therbale-passing *therethrough, by meansor verticalrthreadedr studs Ea -rigidly fixed: to the centralwelcportions iOf the upperand lower channeli-members 35, respecthreadedhub 49, which bears against a wear plate welded to the outer surface ofthe associated top or bottom wall 40, 4|. A hand wheel 5| is fixed toeach of the hubs 49 to provide for adjust- 5 ment of the latter alongthe corresponding stud 48. Thus, by rotating the hand wheel 5| theassociated top or bottom plate 40, 4| can be adjusted toward or awayfrom the bale within the bale case extension I5.

During operation, the bales after being tied are forced toward thedischarge end of the bale case by the baling plunger (not shown) whichpresses 'thekcr'op material intmthebaiebeing formed, the amount orpressure exerted by the" plunger against the bale being determined bythe amount of resistance imposed by the compression device |5lto theoutward movement of the bales as they are discharged from the bale case.This resistanceLisinoreasedrto:some extent by the addition 2 ;v eff.pressureplatess extending vertically on the inner sideswor the verticalwalls |6, I1, respecti-vely,.the plates 55..being inclined relative tothe side walls so that they converge outwardly to- Ward-the dischargeend of the bale case. The top and bottom walls 40, 4| are also providedwith outwardly converging pressure plates 56, which act'with theconverging platese 55 :toconstrict-the discharge:openingandvthusaprovide; resistance. to outwardimovement of thebalesi. II Assbestr illustrated in Figure. 4-, the. top and bottom.- walls-1 w;M- are adjusted inwardly toward eachother whenrbaling; prairie hay andother slippery, crops; This is accomplished by turning the hand wheels:5 toadjust. the hubs; id-toward each other, thereby swinging.thewallszAIL 4| i-tp an! outwardly converging relation in which theouter endsof the: walls 40, 4| are appreciably closer together than.-the vertical distance: betweenithe-upper: and-lower flanges: l8 andl9zpA ba-le isindicateds at. 58; in Figure" 4; which illustrates how thecentral portion i of= thebaleds. compressed toangreater extent. than;the" outer side portions: between the flanges l8 and- I9. The channels43:; Mr are disposedLin-longitudinal alignment with the channels ihithemainebalecase 5,rand".thus-act as:guides-f:or balewires or twine strands59.3, which. lie: within: the channels; 43-, 4'4 and are preventedfromxsl-iding outwardly. on the 5 gbaless Withoutcthe channels 43;,44':on'thever- --ti'cally movable: top= and: bottom walls 40,; 4| thewiiresstend: to slide: under theflan'ges l8, l9 and even loop over thetops of the vertical flanges 21?, 211 arid. thereby-sometimesinterfering with 55 the movementrofl thezbalesi through thebale; case.

The: bales are discharged? upon" a. tableor tail 'bflaiid: 611;;whichislpivotally conneeted'by' atransverse hinge h th ai of: brackets62$ securedin IateralIL-yYspaUed'I relation: to] the bottom wall M i'Aipair'r of suspension chains-531,1 5d are connected weirdly extending:flanges 65,- 6B, respectively;v on "oppositesides of the? table: 60. vWe: claim: I h In a baling: press; bat balecase having; as. com-:prerssidn portion; at: one: end: corriprisir'ig; 3 211311 of? opposedchannel; shaped. walls having? flanges 'tiir'rretlzinwardly? toWa-rc'heach other, at second: pair off oppesedr walls; disposedbetween said;flanges andaadjustableztoward'and away from eachother,

and a: pair. of longitaudi-nally' extending channelperti'oris-on:tliesedges or said second pair oflwalls, I said channel:portions being openwinwardly to receive binding; wires or twine-on balespassing v .'thenethmugmto:prevent-said wires or twineifrom --timely.Eachrof; the threaded:studs 48scarr e -a Bum-313mg: dfi-ilthe bales; g I

2. In a baling press, a bale case of generally rectangular cross sectionhaving a compression portion at one end thereof comprising a pluralityof walls serving as extensions to the walls of the bale case andincluding two pairs of opposed walls, the walls of each pair beingadjustable toward and away from each other, one pair of said wallshaving flanges along longitudinal edges thereof turned inwardly toconfine the four longitudinal corners of bales passing therethrough, theother pair of walls being disposed between the edges of the opposingflanges of said one pair of walls, respectively, and provided with guidechannels opening inwardly along longitudinal edges for receiving bindingwires or twine on said bales.

3. In a baling press, a bale case of generally rectangular cross sectionhaving a compression portion at one end thereof comprising a pluralityof walls serving as extensions to the walls of the bale case andincluding two pairs of opposed walls, the walls of each pair beingadjustable toward and away from each other, one pair of said wallshaving flanges along longitudinal edges thereof turned inwardly toconfine the four longitudinal corners of bales passing therethrough, theother pair of walls being disposed between the edges of the opposingflanges of said one pair of walls, respectively, and normally adjustedinwardly of the planes of said flanges to compress the center of thebales more than the corners thereof, said other pair of walls .beingprovided with guide channels opening inwardly along their longitudinaledges for receiving binding wires or twine on said bales.

4. In a baling press, a bale case having a compression portion at oneend thereof comprising a plurality of walls serving as extensions to thewalls of the bale case and pivotally connected thereto, respectively, onaxes disposed transversely of the bale case and including two pairs ofopposed walls, a pair of connecting members extending between one pairof opposed walls outside the other pair of walls for restraining saidone pair in bale compressing position, and adjusting means actingagainst said other pair of walls and reacting against said connectingmembers, respectively, for adjusting said other pair of Walls inwardlytoward each other.

5. In a baling press, a bale case having a compression portion at oneend thereof comprising a plurality of walls serving as extensions to thewalls of the bale case and pivotally connected thereto, respectively, onaxes disposed transversely of the bale case and including two pairs ofopposed walls, a pair of connecting members extending between one pairof opposed walls outside the other pair of walls for restraining saidone pair in bale compressing position, and adjusting means actingagainst said other pair of walls and reacting against said connectingmembers, respectively, for adjusting said other pair of Walls inwardlytoward each other, each of said adjusting means comprising a pair ofextensible threaded elements and means for rotating one of said pair ofelements.

6. In a baling press, a bale case having a compression portion at oneend thereof comprising a plurality of walls serving as extensions to thewalls of the bale case and pivotally connected thereto, respectively, onaxes disposed transversely of the bale case and including two pairs ofopposed walls, one pair of said walls having flanges along longitudinaledges thereof turned inwardly to confine the four longitudinal cornersof a bale passing therethrough, the other pair of walls being disposedbetween the edges of the opposing flanges of said one pair of walls,respectively, a pair of connecting members extending between said onepair of opposed walls outside the other pair of walls, adjusting meansacting between said connecting members and said other pair of walls,respectively, for adjusting the last mentioned walls toward each otherinwardly of the planes of said opposing flanges to compress the centerportions of the bales, and pairs of inwardly opening guide channelsextending along opposite longitudinal edges, respectively, of said otherwalls for receiving baling wires or twine on the bales and preventingsaid wires or twine from slipping laterally thereon.

7 The combination set forth in claim 1, including the further provisionthat the channel portions taper outwardly to provide for inward movementof said first pair of walls to an outwardly converging position.

JAMES REX WEST. GEORGE B. HILL. MARCUS E. McCLELLAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 335,290 La Dow Feb. 2, 1886434,775 Gehrt Aug. 19, 1890

